Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a collective term used to describe related inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract whose etiology is not completely understood. The two most common forms of IBD are ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). For most patients, IBD is a chronic condition with symptoms lasting for months to years. The course of IBD varies widely, with intermittent periods of remission (i.e., inactive disease) followed by periods of acute illness (i.e., active disease). Onset of IBD is predominant in young adulthood but can occur at any age.
IBD has no cure. Current therapies for IBD are directed at reducing the inflammatory process and at reducing the detrimental effects of the inflammatory process associated with the disease, and include administration of anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., mesalamine, sulfasalazine, infliximab, adalimumab, prednisone, budesonide) and of immunosuppressive drugs (e.g., 6-mercaptopurine, azathioprine, cyclosporine). Such therapies are often associated with adverse side effects.
Hyaluronan, also referred to as hyaluronic acid or hyaluronate, is a non-sulphated glycosaminoglycan comprised of repeating disaccharide units of N-acetyl-glucosamine and B-glucuronic acid. Hyaluronan is distributed widely throughout connective tissue of all organs, and is important for maintaining tissue hydration, cushioning joints, preserving cell free space within specific tissues or regulation of cell behavior such as migration or proliferation via activation of cell signaling pathways. Hyaluronan is, under normal circumstances, a high molecular weight (HMW) glycosaminoglycan, which is produced mainly by fibroblasts. As disclosed herein compositions comprising hyaluronan of specific sizes (about 10 to about 35 kDa) is used to treat intestinal conditions and improve intestinal health in patients.